My best friend, Chloe, got hooked on gambling. Then, out of nowhere, she excitedly told me she wanted to take me to Las Vegas. "I just won big! I'm treating you to a stay at the Wynn!" But the moment we landed, she dragged me into a private VIP room deep inside a casino. "Actually, I lost fifty million. If I don't pay up, they're going to sell me to the cartels..." "But the Boss is looking for a woman with a crescent moon birthmark. If he finds her, all debts are wiped clean!" "You have one on your stomach, don't you? I saw it when we were changing! I'm sorry, sis, I really don't want to die!" I was pinned to the sofa by four men. Suddenly, I saw a child's drawing hanging on the wall. It was a drawing I made for my dad before I was kidnapped. He cherished it like a treasure, saying he would keep it forever. A surge of energy hit me. I sneered internally. Chloe, oh Chloe, you really made the right bet this time. Too bad the winner won't be you. 1 By the time I realized something was wrong and tried to leave, it was too late. "Ava, fifty million! I couldn't pay that back in ten lifetimes!" "But God hasn't abandoned me. He gave you that crescent moon birthmark just so you could save my life!" I gasped, fear choking me like a hand around my throat. I forgot how to breathe. "Chloe, you sold me?" "We've known each other for over ten years. You're my best friend, and you sold me for fifty million?" My accusation made her stumble back. She shook her head frantically. "Don't look at me like that... The owner of this casino is richer than god. His only obsession is women with crescent moon birthmarks on their stomachs. For a woman like that, he'd forgive any debt..." "He has this specific fetish, and you just happen to have the mark. Sending you here is... it's for your own good! What if he likes you? You'd be the Boss's wife!" An image of a sleazy old man flashed through my mind. I shuddered and shoved her aside, trying to leave. "If you want to be the Boss's wife, go do it yourself! I'm going home!" But before my hand could touch the doorknob, a heavy blow struck the back of my head. "Ava, you forced me to do this!" My vision spun, and I stumbled a few steps before collapsing to the floor. She bent down and snatched the pink bead from my pocket. "Don't think I don't know. You didn't come with me for a vacation; you came to find your biological parents." "Since you're here, if you help me pay off this debt, I'll help you find your parents. But if you dare run... you'll never see your family again." The pain in the back of my head was excruciating. I struggled to move my lips, despair filling my heart. I was kidnapped when I was five. The traffickers, afraid of being caught, immediately changed my clothes and shaved my head. Everything I had was thrown away, except for this bead engraved with my nickname, which I hid under my tongue. In sixteen years, I forgot the way home, and my memories before age five faded. This was the only thing I had left connected to my parents. With the bead gone, all hope was gone. "Smart choice." Just as Chloe finished speaking, the door to the private room opened. Several fierce-looking men walked in. "You're Chloe? Heard you brought something to pay off the debt?" Chloe pointed at me and nodded eagerly. "Vince, the Boss wanted a woman with a crescent moon birthmark, right? This is my best friend Ava, she has one right on her stomach!" "See, I brought her. About my fifty million..." The leader didn't even lift his eyelids. He pulled out a chair and sat down. "What's the rush? Inspect the goods first." His subordinates immediately pounced, dragging me onto the sofa and pinning me down. In seconds, they stripped off my jacket. One man reached for my T-shirt. I used all my strength to kick him in the shin. "Let go! Don't touch me!" "Bitch, you dare kick me?" The man spat and slapped me twice across the face. I saw stars. Before I could speak, a terrifying gunshot rang out. The man's leg exploded in blood, and he fell back howling. Vince held the gun, expressionless. "Touching before the inspection is done? You want to die?" "Drag him out. Don't dirty the Boss's carpet." The others, shaken, quickly dragged him away. Freed from restraint, I lay there stiff, not daring to move. They had guns. If I struggled again, the next bullet would be for me. In the corner, Chloe was terrified, but a look of determination entered her eyes. "Vince, she really has a crescent moon birthmark on her stomach. It's exactly what the Boss wants!" Vince glanced at her coldly, and she immediately lowered her head, trembling. "You guys, go. Hurry up, don't waste my time." Four more men approached. As I frantically scooted back, I suddenly saw a familiar drawing hanging on the wall. A family of three flying a kite. Above the little girl with the ponytail, a name was written—a name I would never forget until the day I die. "Sia." That was a drawing I made just before I was kidnapped. Mom loved it, and Dad smiled, saying he would keep it forever. It's Dad! All these years, he's been looking for me too! Indescribable excitement surged through me. I propped myself up on the sofa. "Is your Boss's last name..." "So much talk. Nine out of ten times, it's someone trying to pull a fast one." Vince interrupted impatiently, aiming the gun at my forehead. "You. Shut up." "You guys. Strip her. Check the goods." 2 My scalp went numb. He could shoot his own man without blinking; he wouldn't hesitate with me. Chloe whispered, trembling, "Ava, just be good. Once they check, I can leave. If you keep this up, I'll die too..." Even now, she was only thinking of herself! I looked at the drawing again and decided to wait. If Dad comes after the inspection, we'll recognize each other, and the crisis will be solved. Gritting my teeth, I endured the humiliation as they lifted my T-shirt. Below my navel, the crescent moon birthmark was clearly visible. "Vince, this one looks real!" Vince strode over immediately. Surprise flashed across his face when he saw the mark. He murmured softly: "It really looks exactly like the Boss's drawing..." Knowing she was safe, Chloe smiled ingratiatingly. "Vince, since the goods are verified, my fifty million..." Vince stared at my birthmark and waved his right hand. "Cleared. Get lost." "Okay, okay, I'm going!" Chloe nodded vigorously and turned to run. But she still had my bead! I jumped off the sofa and reached for her clothes. "Chloe, you can't leave..." "Don't let her run!" At Vince's command, the nearest subordinate kicked me in the stomach. I couldn't dodge and fell backward, the back of my head hitting the corner of the table. Vince roared, "You looking to die? How many times have I said, don't touch her until confirmed!" The blow from Chloe's stick earlier was still throbbing, and now something warm was flowing out. I leaned against the table, touched the back of my head, and my hand came away covered in blood. My vision blurred. Consciousness was slipping away, and my limbs stopped obeying me. I can't faint... I haven't seen Dad yet... "Bad news, Vince, she's bleeding!" Someone shouted in panic. Vince frowned deeply. "You two, get a doctor. You two, go find the Boss. Tell him this birthmark looks very real, ask him to come take a look." "The rest of you, be careful. If she really is the woman the Boss wants, and we pissed her off, she'll tell on us, and we'll all be in deep shit!" Several subordinates scattered. They ran into Chloe, who was standing at the door. She was dumbfounded. After a while, she asked tremblingly: "Vince... isn't the Boss just looking for a mistress? Is a mistress that important?" Vince shot her a fierce look. "Idiot. Why else would the Boss offer such a huge reward? Bring her in, debt cleared?" "But this debt isn't for just anyone to clear." "Others brought women with crescent moon birthmarks before. But they didn't know exactly where the Boss wanted it, so they just tattooed one randomly." "And they were all disposed of by the Boss." Chloe shuddered. She heard Vince say finally: "You're lucky. This woman's moon is exactly where the Boss wants it. Not an inch off." "Just wait. If she really is the one the Boss wants, not only is your fifty million gone, but your best friend will be living the high life, and you'll be enjoying it with her." Chloe's eyes darted around, and her face changed. I had a bad feeling. Using my remaining consciousness, I opened my mouth. "I, I am..." "Vince, I'm sorry!" Chloe suddenly rushed over, her sharp manicured nails digging into my thigh. "Her birthmark is fake!" "I can't lie to the Boss. I'll pay back the fifty million. I won't use this to clear the debt!" 3 Vince instantly flew into a rage. "Chloe, you wanna die?!" "No! She forced me to come!" With the gun pointed at her, she dropped to her knees with a thud. "She found out about the birthmark location from somewhere, went to a tattoo parlor to get one, and forced me to bring her here." "She said she wanted to climb up to the Boss and enjoy wealth and glory!" "It's true! She threatened to kill my parents if I didn't bring her!" Chloe begged ceaselessly, tears streaming down her face. I gasped for air beside her, shaking my head vigorously. "I didn't... I am..." "Ava, stop lying! You can fool people for a moment but not forever. If the Boss finds out your birthmark is fake, you'll die even more miserably!" Vince looked down from above, his sharp eyes staring at my exposed crescent moon birthmark, as if trying to discern which of us was telling the truth. But he didn't seem to know that Dad was looking for his daughter, not a lover. If he looked at my face more closely, maybe he would realize I resembled Dad... Suddenly, a shout came from outside. "Vince! That gang is causing trouble in the casino again!" Vince picked up his gun and headed out. "You guys guard the door. Don't let either of them leave. I'll be right back." The door to the private room closed, leaving only the two of us. Chloe lowered her voice. "I didn't expect the casino boss's fetish to be so obsessive. Match the birthmark, become the Boss's wife!" I tried to stay awake, but my body kept sliding down. The blood from the back of my head was flowing faster. I couldn't hold on much longer. "What... what do you want..." A look of madness flashed across her face, her chest heaving as she spoke. "I was wrong. I thought he just wanted a mistress to sleep with... No, I can't let you be the Boss's wife." "Or you'll never let me go... just like I won't let you go!" I panted heavily, shaking my head. "We're best friends. Just let me go, and I'll forget everything." "Impossible. You must hate me to death!" "Really... Think about it. Without me, how will you pay the fifty million? They'll sell you to the cartels. That's worse than death!" Chloe paused, looking down, her eyes darting rapidly. Seeing hope, I continued: "Let me go. I swear I won't say anything. I'll share the wealth with you. That fifty million... I'll pay it for you." Her expression finally changed, licking her dry lips. I secretly sighed in relief. But before I could fully exhale, she suddenly clenched her fists. "No. You're so stubborn. You haven't given up looking for your biological parents for over ten years. How could you let me go?" "I can figure out another way for the fifty million, but you can't stay!" With that, she pulled out a small knife and stabbed the tip straight into my crescent moon birthmark! "Ah—" I screamed in agony, but she covered my mouth. She sliced along the curve of the moon, then pulled out a small bottle of clear liquid and forced it down my throat. A bitter taste slid down my throat. I knew it was bad. "Don't worry. This anesthetic takes twenty minutes to kick in. After that, you'll pass out. No matter what happens, you won't feel a thing." She threw the empty bottle and knife under the table, whispering maniacally in my ear: "Sorry, sis. If only one of us can live, it has to be me!" 4 The anesthetic coursed through my body. I felt all my strength drain away, sliding to the floor, as if I would pass out completely the next second. Just then, Vince returned. Seeing the scene, he frowned and looked at Chloe. "What happened?" Chloe cried, pointing at me. "Vince, she was afraid of pain during the tattoo. She ran before the last bit of color was added." "Now the wound opened... she said it hurts too much, she's dizzy..." Vince lowered his eyes and saw a thin line at the tip of my moon, bleeding. "It really is fake..." "Go tell the Boss not to waste his time coming. This is another fake." A shadow fell over my eyes, and a cold touch pressed against my stomach. "Almost fell for your trick. Almost got me killed." "You like crescent moons? I'll cut this piece of skin off and sew it to your face!" What... The knife tip pierced the wound. My dying consciousness was stimulated, and I screamed struggling. "No—I am the person the Boss is looking for!" "He's not looking for a lover, he's looking for his daughter! I am his daughter!" The room fell into a momentary deathly silence. Vince laughed coldly. "No wonder you dared to tattoo yourself and come here to die. You've got guts, saying shit like that." "Our Boss doesn't even have a wife, and you dare impersonate his daughter?" The knife went an inch deeper, and the anesthetic kicked in. I couldn't feel the pain, but I couldn't speak either. In a haze, someone reminded him: "Vince, this is the Boss's favorite carpet..." The knife was withdrawn immediately. Vince stood up. "Take her away. Get someone to clean the carpet." "Vince, sell her straight to the cartels?" My heart tightened as I saw him wiping the knife with a handkerchief, his eyes vicious. "Take her to the VIP room. Let the guests have their way with her. Sell her when they're bored." "And this woman..." Chloe immediately knelt, rubbing her hands and begging: "Vince, give me five more days. I promise to pay back the fifty million. If not, do whatever you want with me!" Vince frowned in thought for a moment, then held up three fingers. "Three days." "Okay, three days it is. I'll go raise money right now!" I was lifted up. I wanted to break free but had no strength. I could only watch Chloe rush out of the room like a madwoman without looking back. Two minutes later, I was thrown into the noisy VIP room. Countless men and women gathered around. Someone shouted: "Hey, isn't this Boss Hudson's favorite crescent moon birthmark?" Everyone laughed. "Another one trying to gamble with Boss Hudson." "Normal. If you win, you're the Boss's wife, top of the world." "Too bad this little girl lost the bet. Guess she'll be living in a different country soon." Some pulled at my T-shirt, some grabbed my ankles, others wrinkled their noses at the blood on me and walked away. I was like a discarded rag, unable to move or struggle. I could only look up at the magnificent dome, my heart filled with unwillingness. I was just one step away from reuniting with Dad... Suddenly, the whole room went quiet. The sound of steady footsteps approached. "Boss, Vince said this one is definitely fake. Told us to throw her here." "Hmm. Handle it." It was the voice from my memory! Dad's voice! The footsteps turned, walking in the opposite direction. I panicked. Drawing strength from somewhere unknown, I shouted hoarsely: "I am Sia!" The footsteps stopped abruptly. That gaze looked straight over.
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